So, Elementary (that's the "we want to Americanize Sherlock but the BBC wouldn't let us, so we did it anyway" show, in case you wonder).

It's not bad for a random crime show that is, like many random crime shows are, somewhat inspired by Sherlock Holmes. But it would have been so much cleverer to do it like House. Don't call it a Sherlock Holmes adaptation (since there are so many elements that are different from the canon anyway) and let the audience feel clever for noticing the Holmes references that are in it. But then again, Americanizing British shows is pretty much the opposite of expecting your potential audience to be clever, so no wonder this didn't happen ...

*yes, time to bring out the cheesy, Halloween themed playlist. Also, it's a holiday in Germany today, so it's also a good time to bring out the cheesy Halloween themed decorations :)

It's that time of the year again ... Halloween approaching. Again. And we're in need of a theme for a party. Again.

In previous years it was usually something we (meaning the people involved in the planning) liked at the moment. So, mostly a theme based on a book, movie or series but this year we're a bit lost. Themes based on contemporary stuff are boring when it comes to party decoration and costumes, themes based on very CGIed stuff like X-men are boring too, since CGI doesn't translate to reality (although I wouldn't mind the girls dressed in blue paint ...).

We agreed to do nothing vampire this year, since we had Vampire Slayers last year and before that Bella was a fangbanger and Undead Baroque. Not all in a row of course, but still, enough with the vamps for a bit.

Any thoughts on Warehouse 13? I saw a pretty awesome looking trailer, but a lot of trailers have looked awesome and then the real thing was pretty bad. So yeah, anyone watching this? Worth my time?

It's Halloween and like every year, someone Christian whines about it. This year, we got a politician from a Christian party complaining about how this is against Christian traditions and blah blah ... Only, if you do a little research you'll find out that this holiday originated in a then catholic country and is actually not a Celtic tradition. And if you are too lazy to do your research, since you're a politician after all - the name, that is referring to a catholic holiday, might give you a little clue,

Anyway ...

Happy Hallowe’en!!!!

I'm off to my second party in a bit. This one has a silent films theme, which makes the costume choice easy and the make-up choice a bit ridiculous. Yes, I'm sporting the original silent film raccoon-ish eye make-up ... and almost had my eye poked out while getting it done *lol*

My days of being slightly embarrassed whenever I have to switch on my laptop at a security check are so over. I have a Torchwood log in screen ... but seeing a guy with some cheap looking porn on his earlier this week and apparently being cool with it makes me think that my little geeky number is in fact very classy.

Also, my vampire hunter career is so not going well, I cut my finger while making a wood stake ...

And talking about vampires, I saw some book from a series called "Vampire Academy" and when I was reading the back to see if it's really what I think it is (nothing good) a shop girl came over and was like "they are really popular for Twilight fans ..." ... I probably put the book back a bit too quickly, because she was all "wasn't the right thing to say, mmh?"

Yes, very wrong thing to say, not because of the Twilight thing but in general. See, once upon a time, when I was a new LOTR fanboy, I came across a book that was advertised with something like "LOTR fans will love it" ... well, I hated it. Worst rip-off ever. And I had very similare experiences with books with similare recomendations written on their backs. So, I now shy away from pretty much everything that is advertised in this way.

Which leads me to the question - does this kind of advertising work for you? Like, if you are a LOTR fan, are you more likely to buy a random fantasy book when it is advertised especially for LOTR fans? Or is it maybe something that is directed at people who are looking for a present?

Apparently, everyone is so bored by the vampire hype, that it was just decided that this year's Halloween party is going to be vampire slayer themed. Bit harsh *lol* But understandable, since everyone and their Twimom mother will surely bring out the vampire costumes for Halloween again this year and it's all getting a bit repetitive anyway, even if you manage to put a halfway decent costume together and don't go for the goth club look. So, something a bit more creativity challenging is so on.

But now the question is of course - what to wear?!Are there any remarkable vampire slayer costumes or looks? Since I tend to root for the other side I usually don't pay that much attention, I guess ... I could always go for the van Helsing look with long coat and hat and stuff, but maybe there's some other fun option?

If you don't have costume ideas, how about food ideas then?So far, we have garlic cream and bread stakes planned ... plus vegetable sticks and all kinds of other stuff that tastes good with the garlic cream.

I got wine and matching chocolate for my grandparents and of course a card and flowers for my grandma, but she always gets flowers from me anyway, because she loves to have flowers everywhere in the house. Before I discovered a shop selling these things I had no idea about the wine/chocolate matching stuff ... apparently, it has to do with the amount of sugar and how certain flavours in the wine are complimented by flavours in the chocolate. Sounds like proper science and mostly, just like a damn good excuse to eat some chocolate while having a glass of wine.

Sunday was great, although the weather got a bit moody at the end. And we had to rescue a motor boat and tow it back to the harbour. That was a first, usually it's the sailors who need help, like, for running out of wind and then finding out that they have run out of petrol too, since the motor hasn't been used in quite a while and no one thought of restocking ... which would never ever happen to us ... of course ... :p

Also - first idea for a Halloween decoration: Talbot-in-a-jar. Marco suggests we put a name tag on it.

It's this time of the year again. The leaves are turning red, when you take a walk in the woods you get hit by chestnuts, pumpkins are showing up at front doors and windows, Tim Burton movies and Poe's poems have been moved to the top of the to-do piles ... and I'm wondering what to wear.

The biggest surprise is, that I'm not aware of a vampire party, not a single one. In the last few years it was a given that there was a vampire's ball, something Fangtasia themed, old school Dracula ... this year, nada. I have "Malice in Wonderland" and "Golden Age of Torchwood" (not based on my idea or anything ... noooooooo ...) on my list so far. Bless Halloween for being on the weekend.

Since the last one is not based on my idea or anything the costume for that one is kind of obvious. Something Torchwood goes Steampunk with alien-victorian gadgets. I briefly considered going as a really crappy Doctor Who monster from the 70s, all dressed in bubble wrap, but as funny as the idea is - I would most likely end up hiding in a corner to avoid the people who can't resist the urge to poke the bubble wrap.

For the first one I have no idea though. It's obviously Alice in Wonderland with a little twist and I can see girls going as Alice with a really short skirt or really huge breasts or something, but other than that I have no idea. It should be bright and colourfull and totally over the top, but ... mmh ... I just don't know ... and I don't want to be in full make-up for a party. So everything that only works with having the whole face painted isn't an option.

On to some TV stuff:

- I enjoy Vampire Diaries more than I thought I would. It's totally to blame on Damon. I don't care one bit for the 90210 crowd, but a vampire who behaves like a vampire ... seducing virgins, drinking human blood (well, scratch the virgin part, this is the 21th century) and all that ... is rare these days.

- I enjoy the new season of Heroes more than I thought I would. In the last season, I was just staying for Sylar ... but somehow it's gotten really good again. I totally blame it on the boys from the carnival. I don't see an overall theme yet though. I mean, in the previous season there was a very obvious threat, but maybe it does the show good to have no "OMG, the world's going to end!" theme for a change.